Grain yield improvements by conventional breeding have nearly reached a plateau in maize. It is natural then to explore some alternative, non-conventional approaches that could be employed to obtain further yield increases. However, to meet the demand of rapid populationin future, greater increases in food production are required. The scale of the increase requires the involvement of new technologies such as transgene-based improvement in agronomic traits. The disclosure can be used for transgene-based improvements of agronomic traits. Therefore, the described gene can be used to improve N use efficiency, increase grain yield and shorten crop maturity.